Acceptance
by NickyFox13
Summary: Angel Juan investigates why Witch Baby is acting so weird.


Angel Juan noticed that Witch Baby had many strange habits. The most noticeable, and by far the most persistent was picking out the knots in her hair when she felt nervous. She ran her fingers through her hair to find knots during times of high stress as well; she would wrap her fingers around the knot until it either fell out or became unknotted. He didn't mind that she picked at the knots. It was better than chewing fingernails, Angel Juan supposed. He wouldn't be able to stand finding nail clippings all around the house. Angel Juan shuddered at the thought; he put the gross thought out of his mind before it could infect him and send uncomfortable chills down his spine.

"Are you okay?" Angel Juan asked, trying his best to keep casual; Witch Baby was in one of her _moods_ , the one where she seemed to feel ultra-sensitive. He noticed that Witch Baby was picking at a knot with both of her hands instead of one today, her knuckles white with the pressure she placed when she squeezed her hands around the edge of her hair. Suddenly, Witch Baby's breathing deepened, and she brought her knees to her chest, her entire body heaving with every deep sigh she exhaled. It was hard to miss her as she planted herself on the pale, cream shag rug. Even though she was in the furthest corner of the apartment, Angel Juan couldn't help but stare at her, her whole body shaking with repressed sobs. It seemed as if a charcoal raincloud loomed over her head, with rain pounding at her back and thunder ringing in her ears. He felt an overwhelming desire to kiss her on the lips and cuddle with her on the couch, watching Humphrey Bogart movies and feed her creamy avocados, rich ice cream, greasy chili cheese hot dogs and salty french fries drowned in ketchup to make her feel normal again.

In most scenarios, the mere suggesting of Angel Juan feeding Witch Baby appealed to her. She hated to admit loving every second of attention he wanted to drown her in, because she liked being pampered; a part of her was a needy, clingy baby when she got sad and Angel Juan, being an older brother, resigned himself to caretaker status. She had usually crawled next to him in bed more often than not, clinging to his muscular body as if her life depended on it. Laying her head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat, entwining her scrawny legs to his soft ones as if his legs protected her, splaying her arms across his stomach made her so blissful that she fell asleep in an instant. He would drift into sleep after a pressing light kiss on her forehead. Their entangled bodies acted as a lullaby that lulled them to sleep; waking up cured Witch Baby, like a miracle.

Now, in this moment, he decided that she needed to be left her alone. She was independent at heart, like a well trained adult cat. This was done in the hopes that she would calm down on her own. Angel Juan ached for Witch baby to snap out of her bad mood like a magnet attracted to metal. He sat alone on the plush couch, stretching his legs across the expansive fluffly pillows He had all the free time in the world today, so he wore a plain cotton tee-shirt that was baggy on him, and comfortable sweatpants that hugged his hips because the elastic was still new. If she kept acting like this, he'd get worried.

Thirty minutes past, and Witch Baby crawled into his lap, and sat on his lap, snuggling her head into his chest. She remained silent, but Angel Juan rested his hand atop her hips anyway, stroking her leg absently. She wore a pastel purple crushed velvet robe over a battered tank top and ratty short-shorts, her lanky limbs digging into his in a strange display of affection.

Angel Juan wished she looked him in the eyes. The silence deafened him. She squirmed. He remained vigilant. He inched closer, arms extended to engulf her in a hug. He hoped that initiating the kind of physical contact she enjoyed would cause her to open up. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, but she didn't hold her gaze. She tensed up, shrinking into fetal position.

"Witch Baby: are you okay?" He repeated, enunciating his words to hide the anxiety of not having an answer. He hoped against hope that she was simply acting like a belligerent child. He rubbed her back just the way she liked it: methodically and softly and with a rhythm that implied assurance and patience. She flinched at his touch; he recoiled. He leaned closer to her, wanting to place a kiss on her forehead.

"Leave me alone!" She hissed, attempting to crawl to her room. He scooped her up, and threw her over his shoulder. She began to flail, slapping his back with open fists and kicking at the air. He cringed with every smack.

"Stop hitting me and start acting like an adult!" Angel Juan yelled. Witch Baby went limp on his shoulder faster than anticipated. Angel Juan's heart sunk into his stomach; he didn't want this. Witch Baby only acted like this in dire situations.

"Why are you so mad?" She asked in a murmur into his shirt, her hair tickling his lower back. He sighed.

"I'm not."

"But you threw me over your shoulder. You only do that when you're incredibly irritated." He slid his hand up and down her back, as if he was running his hands through his hair.

"I'm...yeah I'm irritated with you. You're being a clutch pig," She let herself smirk because a part of him hated that her slang rubbed off on him, "and I don't know how to help you. But I want to help. And you're not letting me!"

"Well, you can't help me. So just leave me alone," She seemed firm, unmoving, stubborn, unable to be convinced of his point of view. His arm began to shake under her weight, so he carried her to the couch and threw her on it. He took a seat, and moved her so that her legs sat over his; he traced shapes on her shins, up to her thighs, and back down to her shins. She shivered. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, and Angel Juan cupped her delicate face with his broad hands. She melted to his touch, and she wanted to leave everything here in this Kodak moment where the world stopped mattering and the intensity of their gazes were all that would nourish them. Shivers went down Witch Baby's spine, and she continued to gaze lovingly into Angel Juan's eyes. Her gaze began to wobble as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked, wiping away tears. She leaned into a peck on the lips, a brief and soft, sort of sloppy motion. Angel Juan reciprocated, deepening it and Witch Baby was relaxing into herself again. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing herself into him. If they melted into each other, her worries would become his and his calm would become hers. Her legs wrapped around Angel Juan's lower back, and her arms glued themselves to his body. He squeezed Witch Baby into a tight bear hug. Her body felt small in his arms.

"I'm fine," Witch Baby said, despite her shaky voice and salty gemstone tears falling down her face. She leaned forward, pressing her narrow chest into his broader one to press a warm kiss on the lips; like hot fudge atop vanilla ice cream, steam began to

"What's really brought you down?" Angel Juan asked, and Witch Baby finally felt her chest open.

"I applied to college. Not just any college, a four year university that will let me major in photography." She sighed in relief, a huge block of stress released from her shoulders. Angel Juan's heart exploded.

"That's amazing, love!" Angel Juan said, squeezing her shoulders and placing a pecking kiss on her lips. She let a smile crack her face in half.

"That's why I've been checking the mail with an obsessive precision," Angel Juan never noticed Witch Baby's enthusiastic passion matched in another person; he knew plenty of passionate people, but no one quite matched Witch Baby's eccentric take, and for that he was grateful for her unique take.

"And that's why you've been extra emotional lately, I bet," Angel Juan inferred. Witch Baby nodded.

"I'm sorry for acting like such a clutch pig about it all. I'm glad you don't hate me for it." She said, stroking his long black locks affectionately, kissing his scratchy stubbly throat.

"I'm definitely upset, but I won't hold it against you. We're gonna get through this together, ok?" Angel Juan and Witch Baby stayed on the couch, laying in each other's arms comfortably for the rest of the lazy warm afternoon.

* * *

The letter said yes. Witch Baby wept, her entire body wracked with joyous sobs, knowing her life would never be the same.

* * *

 **A/N: Old self indulgent, tooth rotting fluff. Hope you enjoyed!**


End file.
